Philadelphus plant named ‘SMNPVB’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Philadelphus  plant named ‘SMNPVB’, characterized by its compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; green and greenish yellow variegated leaves; numerous fragrant white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Philadelphus hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNPVB’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from theInventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assigneeclaim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosureand/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior tothe effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPhiladelphus plant, botanically known as Philadelphus hybrida, commonlyreferred to as Mock Orange and hereinafter referred to by the cultivarname ‘SMNPVB’.

The new Philadelphus is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new compact and freely floweringPhiladelphus plants with unique leaf coloration.

The new Philadelphus plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutationof an unnamed proprietary selection of Philadelphus hybrida, notpatented. The new Philadelphus plant was discovered and selected by theInventor during the spring of 2015 as a single plant from within apopulation of plants of the mutation selection in a controlledenvironment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Philadelphus plant by softwood stemcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Grand Haven, Mich.since 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Philadelphusplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generationsof asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Philadelphus have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SMNPVB’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SMNPVB’ as a new and distinct Philadelphusplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and        uniformly mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Green and greenish yellow variegated leaves.    -   5. Numerous fragrant white-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Philadelphus can be compared to plants of the mutationparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newPhiladelphus have variegated leaves whereas plants of the mutationparent selection have non-variegated leaves.

Plants of the new Philadelphus can also be compared to plants ofPhiladelphus lemoinei ‘Innocence’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Philadelphus differ primarily from plantsof ‘Innocence’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Philadelphus are more compact than plants        of ‘Innocence’.    -   2. Plants of the new Philadelphus are more freely branching and        denser than plants of ‘Innocence’.    -   3. Developing leaves of plants of the new Philadelphus are more        highly variegated than developing leaves of plants of        ‘Innocence’.    -   4. Plants of the new Philadelphus are less susceptible to sun        scalding than plants of ‘Innocence’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Philadelphus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Philadelphus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘SMNPVB’.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is close-up view of typicalleaves of ‘SMNPVB’.

The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3) is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘SMNPVB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in the spring in three-galloncontainers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich.and under cultural practices typical of commercial Philadelphusproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C.Plants were three years old when the photographs and the descriptionwere taken. In the description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Philadelphus hybrida ‘SMNPVB’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed    proprietary selection of Philadelphus hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at            temperatures about 18° C. to 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two            months at temperatures about 18° C. to 27° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to fine; fibrous; typically white to            brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub;            compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and            uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit and rapid growth rate.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; more than ten            lateral branches develop per plant; pinching enhances            lateral branch development.        -   Plant height.—About 40 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 35 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 35 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3 cm.        -   Aspect.—Erect to about 20° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—When developing, slightly pubescent; with            development becoming smooth and glabrous and when woody,            rough.        -   Color, developing, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B.        -   Color, developed, lower surface.—Close to N199C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Somewhat coarse; glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Somewhat coarse with pronounced            venation; mostly glabrous with pubescence along venation.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Variegated with            random sectors and splotches, close to 137A and 153D.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B with            variegation pattern of upper surface is visible. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Variegated with random            sectors and splotches, close to 137A and 4C; venation, close            to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B            with variegation pattern of upper surface is visible;            venation, close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Rotate flowers arranged            in terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with about three            to nine flowers developing per inflorescence with more than            200 flowers developing per plant during the flowering            season; flowers face mostly upright.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; sweet and pleasant,            citrus-like.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring in Michigan; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm by 4 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144B and N144D.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four or five arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Truncate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; soft and            delicate; glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to NN155B; median streaks, close to 157B.            Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155B;            median streaks, close to 157B.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 4 to 20 arranged            in one to several whorls. Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.            Width: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Shape: Irregular, roughly            narrowly elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; soft and            delicate; glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: Close to NN155B; towards the apex, close to            157B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to            NN155B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four to five in a single            whorl. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Teardrop-shaped. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly            pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B            and N144D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect:            Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong;            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 30;            dithecal; basifixed. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament            color: Close to NN155B. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther            shape: Rounded. Anther color: Close to 12B. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12B. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: Four. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape:            Oblong. Stigma color: Close to 157A. Style length: About            6 mm. Style color: Close to 157A. Ovary color: Close to            145C.        -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development have            not been observed on plants of the new Philadelphus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Philadelphus have been    observed to have good garden performance.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Philadelphus    have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Philadelphus plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Philadelphus plant named ‘SMNPVB’as illustrated and described.